Early NBA Standings Feature Surging Grizzlies and Stumbling Defending Champions

One week into the 2026–27 NBA regular season, the league standings have delivered an array of early surprises across both conferences. Six franchises opened their campaigns without a loss, while five teams remained winless through their first several contests. Among the unexpected leaders, the Memphis Grizzlies surged to a 4–0 start, while high-profile contenders like the Miami Heat and the defending champion New York Knicks stumbled out of the gate.

In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers opened with a 3–0 record to briefly tie for the top spot in the standings, fueled by historic individual showings from superstar Luka Doncic. Doncic opened the year averaging a league-leading 34.3 points per game, highlighted by a 52-point outburst against the Utah Jazz that tied him with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for 11th on the NBA all-time list with 10 career 50-point regular-season games. He also eclipsed LeBron James for sixth place on the franchise all-time 40-point game list and became the fastest player to score 3,000 points as a Laker, needing just 95 games.

Los Angeles saw its undefeated run halted by the Portland Trail Blazers, who improved their own standing by delivering an early-season statement win over the Lakers despite a 41-point effort from Doncic. Following Portland victory, Lakers head coach JJ Redick pointed to perimeter defensive breakdowns as a core issue for the squad. The win bolstered an impressive opening week for the Trail Blazers, who stood at 2–0 prior to the matchup and further consolidated their place among the Western Conference early pace-setters.

Perhaps the most striking storyline in the Western Conference standings is the Memphis Grizzlies. After winning just 25 games during the previous season, Memphis established a flawless 4–0 mark behind a top-10 offensive rating of 115.6 and defensive rating of 105.9. Guard Ty Jerome led the offensive surge, opening the season with games of 45, 28, and 31 points to become only the fourth non-All-Star player since 2000 to record 100 points over his first three games, sitting third in the NBA scoring race at 29.8 points per game.

Elsewhere in the West, the Minnesota Timberwolves registered a historic opening stretch, becoming only the third team in NBA history to win their first three games by at least 20 points. Offseason acquisition LaMelo Ball made an immediate impact on both ends of the floor, posting an early defensive rating of 91.8 under head coach Chris Finch. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings have integrated rookie Darius Acuff Jr., the seventh overall pick in the 2026 draft, who attempted 73 field goals over his first three career games, the most by any rookie in 50 years.

Conversely, the defending champion New York Knicks encountered an early title hangover, dropping their first three games against the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic. The 0–3 start placed New York alongside the 2011–12 Dallas Mavericks and the 1969–70 Boston Celtics as the only reigning champions in league history to drop their first three contests. Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson both weathered early shooting slumps, though the Knicks avoided deeper historical trouble by mounting a turnaround against the undefeated Detroit Pistons.

In the Eastern Conference cellar, the Miami Heat face an alarming 0–4 start that prompted head coach Erik Spoelstra and star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to confront severe tactical problems. Miami paired Antetokounmpo with center Bam Adebayo during the offseason, yet the marquee tandem struggled significantly, posting a minus-31.6 net rating over 71 shared minutes. With bench depth emerging as a persistent concern, Adebayo publicly took responsibility for the winless start as Miami works to reverse course in the conference standings.